I Tried Zendaya's Favorite Foundation for Glowy Skin

I am a foundation girl—always have been, always will be. As much as I like to pretend that I can put my best face forward with a hint of tinted moisturizer, that’s a lie. I have hormonal acne and some fairly significant scarring, so when I’m leaving the house, I like coverage. In my 34 years on this planet, I’ve tried all kinds of foundation, from the Clinique formulas I wore in high school to the luxe Armani Luminous Silk I’ve gone back to consistently over the past decade. It takes a lot to wow me, but if there’s one brand I can trust to bring the goods, it’s Lancôme, purveyors of my all-time favorite mascara, Hypnose Drama. And if there’s one celebrity face of a brand I can trust, it’s Zendaya, because c’mon—it’s Zendaya.

Z is the face of several Lancôme products, including the new Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Foundation ($47). She’s worn the product for a handful of high-profile occasions, including to the recent Valentino show at Paris Fashion Week and at the Emmy Awards. (Her shade? 430C, says the brand.) She also appears in the campaign imagery and videos, including one with her stylist Law Roach and makeup artist ​​Sheika Daley. This launch joins the existing Teint Idole family of Ultra 24H Long Wear Foundation, a full-coverage formula, and the Ultra Wear All Over Concealer. 

The Formula

Care & Glow is a lightweight, buildable medium-coverage formula that provides up to 24 hours of transfer-resistant coverage in 30 shades across warm, cool and neutral undertones. But that’s not all—the foundation also offers skincare benefits thanks to an 82% serum base formulated with mandelic and hyaluronic acids to smooth and hydrate skin, plus SPF 27. It promises a healthy glow with a sweat- and transfer-resistant finish you can rely on all day, and after several weeks of wear, you may also notice a more even, improved skin tone

My Review

If Care & Glow gets the Zendaya stamp of approval, it must be good enough for little old me. I headed to the brand’s website to test out their virtual color-matching tool and find my perfect shade. (Pro tip: Make sure you’re in a location with ample natural light for best results.) I landed on 310N, a light medium with neutral peach undertones, and when it arrived, it was a great match for my post-summer skin. (120N will be perfect in the Minnesota winter.)

The formula is super lightweight with a serum-like consistency; Lancôme recommends giving the bottle a good shake before applying to skin. I used my fingers to work the foundation across my entire face, starting with small dabs on my forehead, cheeks and chin and blending well. I applied a little more for extra coverage, but the formula is so light that it didn’t feel cakey at all. It did not, however, completely cover my redness and scarring; I would definitely need concealer to fully even out my skin tone. 

On my second test run, I followed the brand’s instructions for more coverage and grabbed a brush. I applied three pumps of Care & Glow with a stippling motion across my skin, especially in areas with more redness or scarring. This proved to be the magic method and gave me the extra coverage I craved, though I would also use concealer for big events or nights out. 

Unlike Zendaya, I didn’t give Care & Glow a test drive on the red carpet. I wore it to a COVID test appointment, but it wore beautifully throughout the nose swab and waiting period. (Less glamorous? My positive test result.) It also held up well throughout a day of mask-wearing. One thing to note: Care & Glow does have a noticeable perfume-y fragrance, so if you’re sensitive to scents, you may want to skip it. The glow is just subtle enough to capture the light without looking sparkly or shiny—just the way I like it. Welcome to my makeup drawer, Care & Glow.

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Care & Glow Foundation $47.00

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